Alaskan Vacation
by Torgetta
Summary: Carlisle and Esme travel to the Alaskan wilderness for a romantic vacation. A week together for camping, hunting, and all the uninterrupted romance they can handle. That is their plan, but Aro has another. It is a companion piece to 'Camping with Vamps and Wolves', and a continuation of 'Never Ending Night.'
1. Road to Alaska

**DISCLAIMER: Stephenie Meyer** **owns Twilight, **and all the characters**. **

**Spoiler Alert:** Based on the books and makes references to important events and details from them.

**Point of View:** The entire narrative is from Carlisle's POV in a first person perspective.

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**Road to Alaska**

**_Tuesday, July 12, 2011_**

It seemed we had run for hours. A caramel haired Goddess taunted me with her exotic beauty. Locks of hair danced around her head, teasing me with her splendor. Her scent lingered in my nostrils. I have no need to breathe, but her pheromones rewarded me with promises yet to come. Each breath an inhalation of her womanhood. My temptation overpowered my resolve. I reached and placed my hands upon her thin hips, as my eyes wolfishly devoured her curvy posterior. She stopped running. The rain continued to pour, drenching us and everything else in sight.

My Goddess pivoted seductively to face me, as my eyes took in her exquisite little heart-shaped face. A dimpled smile graced her lips upon seeing me staring dangerously into her eyes. My pheromones exuded heavily from my skin, as I wrapped my arms around this gorgeous creature before me. A sound came from her lips, much like the song of angels. I pleased her. My exotic beauty placed her left palm against my chest and wrapped an arm around my left hip. A seductive whisper escaped her lips, "Carlisle, you are an animal!"

A loud rumbling from my chest erupted into a thunderous growl of yearning passion in answer to her accusation. My golden eyes glazed with desire. In a low growl, I whispered to my wife, "Esme, let's be animals together." A thick drop of water splashed against her cheek. My hands flew to her face, and cupped it gently as I guided her to my lips. I inhaled deeply of her intoxicating scent, and nipped at her bottom lip. She gasped, and I heard the inhalation of breath as she drank of my pheromones. I suckled at her bottom lip, and tasted her beauty.

Golden eyes gazed to me with an animalistic furor, her arms wrapped tightly around my neck as she pressed firmly against my lips. We kissed deeply as one. Hands reached to my backpack unfastening the straps as I tossed it to the side. My wife did the same. Water dripped from my golden hair as she placed her palm against the back of my head. She began to lower herself toward the ground, and pulled me with her. My lovely wife knew what she wanted, and that was me. She growled to me voraciously, and her hands flattened against my chest.

A howl escaped me, as I felt her fingernails digging into my chest through the bunched up material in her palms. The saturated material tore easily, and the sounds enticed me. Rivulets of water ran down my exposed back, but I hardly noticed. She laid upon the moss-covered ground, and with an animalistic frenzy, my hands tore at her clothes. In seconds they were little more than tatters on the ground. She quickly saw to it that my trousers and boxers soon followed.

Our bodies now fully exposed to the deluge of water pouring from the sky. Thunder rang loudly overhead, and lightning crashed around us illuminating our flesh. Rain splashed upon my shoulders, and rivulets of water cascaded down my back. I smiled to my wife wolfishly, and with an animalistic passion, we devoured one another. The sounds of splintered wood filled the air, as our bodies crashed through nearby trees in our lust-filled state.

Our passions now satiated as my wife snuggled into my side with her head upon the arm that supported her. The moss ground covering was no more. Mud graced our backs, as we stared up into the pouring rain. I surveyed the area, and became aware of the damage. They will grow again. I kissed the top of her head, and whispered, "I love you, Esme."

My reward came as she flipped herself quickly on her stomach, and moved to my lips. We kissed deeply, her intoxicating aroma lingered blissful in the air. My passions became aroused once more, but she all too soon pulled away. A finger came to my lips, signaling me to stop whatever it was I meant to do. She smiled warmly to me as she said, "Carlisle, I love you too, but it is getting late. We need buy more clothes before the stores close."

"Who needs clothes?" I enquired coyly to my wife, as I stared into her beauty. She turned an amused glance to me. Her silence was my answer, as apparently we were the ones needing of such things. I watched in dismay as she rose from where we lay. She pulled a small cloth from the backpack, and made her way to the nearby river. An impatient glance from her caused me to rise and quickly do likewise.

Flashes of lightning illuminated the sky, as I gazed to my beautiful Esme. I dampened my cloth in the water, and brought it to her face while dabbing at the dirt. I took a little liberty, as I continued to dab at spots of grime that failed to exist, but allowed for me a few extended moments of happiness. Esme gently cupped my hand between her own as she said; "now I'll wash you."

I stood to my full height, my head back, and chest out. My wife took her cloth and cleansed me, as she had promised. Despite my yearning for more, I had to agree with her reason. We did need new clothes, as the ones we had laid in tatters. I examined her, and she me for signs of filth. Satisfied with our cleanliness, we moved to our waterproof hiking packs and pulled out another set of clothing.

I dressed swiftly in anticipation of watching my wife while she put on her clothing. Visions of her splendor rewarded my efforts. With our packs in place and trash picked up, we were ready to continue our journey. She spun towards me, and smiled as a hand reached out to my shoulder. In an amused voice she spoke words of promise, "I found a very interesting site online, and it gave me certain ideas to try with you once we get to Alaska."

What better assurances can a man hear? My eyes lit up with anticipation of what that promise may hold. "I am looking forward to that," I offered with a wolfish grin, as I gave her my hand. "I have thought of little else but this trip in the past few days, "I admitted as I gazed into my wife's golden eyes.

Esme stared into my eyes, and offered a dimpled smile as she mentioned, "In all honesty, I was rather excited a few nights back when we told the children of our trip and that we planned to leave immediately. When the call from the hospital came in about the bus accident, I hated your job. I knew Fork's Community Hospital couldn't do without you for a few days, as there were so many patients."

"Esme," I began in a patient voice, "I could not have left knowing they needed me. It was a terrible accident, and many people needing hospitalization. "I leaned toward my wife and kissed her cheek, as I threw an arm around her shoulders. "They extended my holidays, so we still have a full week in Alaska."

A delicate hand came to my cheek, as I felt her palm flatten against it lovingly. "That is what I love about you Carlisle. You are the most compassionate man I know, and I would never have asked you to leave those people," Esme mentioned proudly. She gazed to me contemplatively, and then stated, "I forgot to pick up some rope."

With a sly grin I added, "The wait is never good, but at least I am better able to enjoy our vacation." I nuzzled softly into her neck when I realized what it was she said, "A rope?" I gave my wife a sly grin as I attempt to visualize what she had in mind, but came up with nothing. I was unable to think of any use for a rope, as we would snap it quicker than a human using dental floss. I gazed to her curiously and asked, "What do we need a rope for?"

She placed her finger upon my chest, and ran it down to my navel in a seductive manner, "oh, you'll see Carlisle. I saw it on this site, and think it might be very interesting." She giggled as I enquired further and fondly chided, "I cannot say, as it would ruin the surprise." I feigned a hurt expression, and with a wicked grin she hinted, "It is something that human strength is unable to manage."

No ideas came to mind. It obviously did not come from the type of sites I imagined. I could not honestly picture her looking at such things. The mystery was exciting, as my mind continued to think of different purposes a rope might have. My brow rose to her in confusion as I admitted; "now I have absolutely no idea what you have planned."

"I am not giving you anymore hints, Carlisle. You will have to wait until we get to Alaska," Esme lovingly teased. We resumed our course from earlier, as we once more ran at our full vampire speed toward Alaska. We could see a road ahead, and stayed just inside the forested area. The rain and trees would provide cover. Lights from a nearby town lit up the skyline, and we headed in that direction.

Welcome to

Port Angeles

1890


	2. A Slight Distraction

**DISCLAIMER: Stephenie Meyer** **owns Twilight, **and all the characters**. **

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**A Slight Distraction**

_**Wednesday, July 13, 2011**_

The majestic beast rose on its hind legs, and snuffled into the air. The scents she detected alerted her to the nearby presence of an even more dangerous and ancient killer. Low grunting sounds emanated from the grizzly, and she swung her head from side to side. She turned her body indicating she did not wish to engage in combat. This pleased me, as that showed she had no cubs to defend. My throat burned from the thirst our exertions caused, and this darkly coloured mammal would give much blood.

The grizzly turned from me and attempted to flee northwards. It was a noble effort, but there was little chance for any success. Enhanced speed enabled me to catch the bear easily, and with great strength, I grabbed the head in a chokehold and turned it downwards and to the side as I came to an abrupt stop. I forced the bear to lose her balance, as she flipped over and eventually landed upon her back, but rolled to rise, allowing me to attack from behind.

My right hand seized its right shoulder, and my left wrapped around the neck to pull the head firmly toward the left. I glanced to the nearby creek and gazed lustfully at my wife's exposed flesh as it glittered brightly in the sun. My thirst can wait. I called to her, "Esme, I have a gift for you." My grasp tightened on the frightened bear, as I held it firmly for my wife to feed.

Esme would no more want this bear to suffer than would I, and so it was that she moved with the full speed and grace of a vampire. Her lips pulled away from her teeth, as she bit into the bear's neck. The burning in my throat intensified, as my thirst seemed to worsen while my wife fed. My relief was so close, and yet presently unattainable. Just like my mate. My intense thirst made the scent of the blood much more tantalizing than normal. I hungered for its taste.

Her pheromones with the intoxicating aroma of the grizzly's blood had created within me an erotic sensation, and a burning desire to have her in my arms. In my need to feed, I became powerless to the demon within, and the animal yearned to escape. My wife still fed, and I restrained myself from acting on my desires. The creature weakened in my arms, until mercifully it fainted. I could hear the grizzly's heart slowing, and knew my wife would soon be done. Caramel-coloured locks of hair whipped at my face while my wife suckled the creature's fluids, a constant reminder of her intoxicating aroma.

I inhaled deeply, pulling in the sweet mixture of her nectar and the creature's vital fluids. Venom swirled in my mouth, as my hunger for her created a stronger burn than did my thirst. I wished this creature a quick and speedy death. My intense thirst greatly dissipated my sense of control, and my animalistic nature became even more dominant. I watched in eager anticipation as the heart finally relinquished its duties.

I tossed the corpse into the surrounding forest, and gazed passionately into the eyes of my beautiful wife. Her once black eyes now golden gazed to me knowing of my yearning. In my lust-filled state, my pheromones excreted thickly from my skin, proving helpful in attaining a desired arousal from my mate. The fact I wore no shirt enabled an even stronger response. Esme placed a finger upon my lips, our signal to stop what it is we are about to do. The beast within me roared in displeasure, the sound reverberated off the mountains and echoed in the distance.

Her hands, oh so beautiful and gentle reached out to the front of my trousers as my resolve melted. Another finger to my lips reminded me to stay, while she teased me with the other hand. Her fingers danced over my groin as she manipulated the fastenings of my trousers. With little effort, they slid to my ankles. A tug at my boxers, and they too fell down. How can she think of clothes at a time like this? At her urging, I stepped out of the tangled mess at my feet.

Esme and I stood before one another, as our exposed flesh glistened in the sun. She looked to my nakedness appreciatively, and removed her finger from my lips. The animal escaped. I gazed at my mate with a ferociousness that betrayed my inner passion. Energy coursed through my being, as all thoughts centered on Esme and her beauty. I swallowed deeply, and closed my eyes at my wife's graceful touch. She knew my need, and through her careful execution, I soon found the release I hungered. A ferocious growl echoed off the mountains in gratitude.

A smile of pure happiness graced my face as my eyes opened to gaze upon the beauty that is my wife. "Esme," I said reverently. The beast within was not fully satiated, but now it became more manageable. Her own inner beast began to rage, and my hands moved swiftly to her face, cupping it gently with my palms upon her lower cheek. I pulled her to me, and this time the one who received the nipped lip was me. She pulled it in deeply with her mouth, suckling it as our lips brushed, and then pressed together for a deep kiss.

My now tamed beast watched as hers began to dominate. Her palms ran over my chest and across my back. I felt the light scratching of her nails against my flesh as her hand moved possessively. She placed the palm of her hand against my chest, and pushed me up against a large tree. She leaned forward, cupping the back of my head in the palms of her hands and forcibly pulled me to her. She kissed with such passion as to awaken my beast once more. I delighted in having this woman as my wife, and briefly wondered if this is how I am when I release my beast.

My arms wrapped her tightly in a wild embrace, as she thrust herself to me. With great force, she threw me to the earth. I placed no resistance as I smiled eagerly to her, and looked into her golden eyes full of an animalistic frenzy. My grin widened as she pounced her prey almost viciously. Growling emitted from both our chests as we rolled about on the ground. We looked like a couple of wrestlers. Sometimes I was on top, and at others, it was she. It did not matter, for our beasts were in control.

We hear the familiar sounds of splintered wood, and the loud crashes of thunder that accompanied such damage. We no longer cared if mortals neared, as the only thing that mattered was one another. She pounced on me one last time, grappling me to the ground. I put up no resistance, as she held my arms to the earth and claimed me as her own. Her animalistic passions raged furiously within, as she gazed to me dangerously. I was her prey, and she would have ravished me were I not already so willing. She howled loudly, the growl of pleasure that soon followed was every bit as loud as my own. We celebrated our passions intimately, our growls, howls and screams echoed throughout the mountainside.

Our breathing came in rapid breaths as we inhaled each other's scent. She rolled on her side, and faced me with a loving hand placed upon my chest. I smiled vivaciously to her. I pulled her to me, as her back rested against my chest. I leaned upon my elbow, and kissed her gently upon the lips. We lay together for hours, until the heat of the afternoon sun began to fade. I made a motion to rise, and she turned eagerly to face me for one quick, but passionate kiss. We rose from the ground, and once more surveyed the damage left. Cheekily I turned to my wife and said, "Lucky we were not in the house." A look of mischief was my reward.

The scene before us changed considerably from what it was hours earlier. The violently splintered trees lay as evidence upon the ground. Lose rocks and debris littered everything, and covered our equipment and clothing in a layer of filth. She walked toward her pack, and I to the clothing on the ground. My wife had the sense to remove them, before they were destroyed. Debris scattered all over my things, and I had to shake the clothing to remove it from them. Once satisfied at their cleanliness, I replaced them. Though it was early evening, I dug in my pack and pulled out a shirt. If I were human, I assumed that would be my plan.

A movement caught my eye, and to my surprise stood a male grizzly. I had not expected to find another so near to the one my wife consumed earlier. The bear knew me for what I was, but this was his territory. He stared me in the eye, as his ears pressed back against its head. I stood my ground, and growled to him instead. He returned my growl with a loud moan followed by what sounded like woofing. Suddenly he popped his jaws to me in extreme agitation, and then he charged.

I braced myself for the impact, and grabbed the head around the neck as he tried to run through me. I held on tightly to the head and jumped with the bear, forcing it to move upwards. The bear flipped on its backside, knocking the wind from his lungs. I pounced atop it, and pinned it to the ground. Its claws dug at me, and the teeth snapped as I viciously bit into its neck and began to feed.

The beast held in my grasp found itself unable to escape, as it became feint with the loss of vital fluids. The grizzly passed out, and I continued to drink until the heart finally gave. The bear was dead, and whatever blood remained would no longer be available to me, unless I desired sucking it out myself. Such an effort is an act of futility, and not worth the exertion. I rolled from the corpse of the bear, and lay upon my back as I gazed to the clouds in the sky. My internal beast and my thirst both satiated.

My lovely wife sat under a nearby tree now fully dressed, herself having been satiated. She saw that I had finished, and offered me a dimpled smile. I grinned wickedly to her, and watched as she came to sit upon my chest with a knee on either side of my body. "Carlisle," she said playfully, "I am so pleased we didn't bring the children."

"As am I," I agreed immediately with a wolfish smile. I gazed up to this luscious woman sitting upon my chest and bathed in her splendor. Her pheromones hung heavily in the air, showering me with her radiance. I breathed in deeply, and forced myself to say, "It is time to leave, Esme. If you stay there longer, I fear you would re-awaken the beast within me, and then what would become of our clothes?"

My lovely wife giggled impishly, but pulled herself from me and moved to retrieve her things. I picked up my pack, and once more fastened it tightly to me. It was then that I caught a scent, and a glance to Esme informed me she too sensed it. Together we followed the direction it came, and found a clump of trees.

The scent lingered there, as if the vampire stayed for a while. From the bushes, I turned to where we were, and realized someone had quite the show. My wife's concerned eyes turned to me enquiring, "Carlisle, do you recognize who this is?" She glanced over her shoulder, now on alert for the other predator.

I answered my wife's question with a silent shake of my head. I followed his scent and found a trail to the North and one to the South. The scent to the south was much stronger, and indicated he had been in those bushes for at least a few hours. Turning to my wife, I mentioned with a shrug, "at least he didn't interrupt us."

The look of incredulity with which she gave me by reply was enough to know she found little humor in my statement. She opted against addressing my comment further, and turning to the south she mentioned, "We are near Alaska, but I'd like to know more about this rogue, Carlisle." We walked in circles to find what we could of this creature when Esme turned to me and said, "I smell no other vampires, do you think he is traveling alone?"

"I too have noticed that," I mentioned in agreement. "We need to be sure, and tell the Denali coven. It is close to their territory, and they would want to know. I suspect he is just a harmless rogue passing through, but with the activities of late it is best to know what we can." I motioned to the South and said, "I agree with you Esme, we do need to learn what we can. We will follow his trail to the south for a while."

She and I ran through the mountainous area for the next few hours as we followed the other's scent. The rogue turned sharply to the East, and we followed his trail to Alberta. The sun started its evening descent. We soon found ourselves at Lake Louise, and stared in awe at the splendor. The Fairmont Chateau stood as the lone occupant on a picturesque lake, with mountains surrounding it on every side.

A pathway off to the right invited hikers to a little teahouse through a leisurely stroll up the mountain. I turned to Esme and enquired, "Would you like to stay in an elegant hotel that is more of a palace?" The place looked like a castle, and had been here for more than a hundred years. I remembered it fondly, as I was one of the first to arrive by train when they laid track for the Canadian Pacific Railway through this area. It was splendid then, and looks to have thrived since. I knew my wife would love this place, and I fully intended to spoil her with the elegance that it had to offer.

Esme turned to me excitedly as she mentioned, "we'll make a trip out of it. We can come out here in the winter, go skiing, and check out Banff as well. " A coy glance of mischief is given me as she motioned to her hiking pack, "I would really like to try out these bungee cords we picked up, Carlisle." she asked innocently enough, "aren't you curious to know what I have planned?"

"Alaska it is," I said with eagerness, as I truly had no idea what she could want with so much rope. Hundreds of feet of bungee cord. What would we need that for? I tried to conceive of whatever idea she had when I turned to her with a wry smile and admitted, "I am very curious to know what you have planned."

Esme grinned to me seductively as she said, "you'll have to wait to find out, no more hints for you Dr. Cullen." She giggled slyly, and turned back toward the way we came. "If we hurry, we can make it to Alaska in time to see the sun set, and then rise again all within a two hour span. I'm sure the humans here appreciate the lengthy daylight in the summer, can you imagine trying to get Renesmee to bed?"

I pinched the bridge of my nose in contemplation, as I admitted, "no that would be a nightmare. It is hard enough on her being the only one in the family needing to sleep. "I smirked to my wife, and dug my cell out of my pocket as I mentioned, "we know all we can about that rogue. I'll call Tanya of the Denali and let her know."

"I'd like to find out how the children are, and if they decided to go camping. I'll give Edward a call while you speak with Tanya," my wife mentioned as she initiated a call.

I waited until we both completed our calls, before I told Esme of my conversation with Tanya. "She has noticed a lot of activity of late, and they have kept their eyes on it. She isn't familiar with this rogue, but will watch for his return." I then looked to my wife as I noticed her dialing out yet again, and curiously enquired, "How are the children?"

"I don't know," Esme mentioned with a glare to her cell. "Nobody answered their phone. Carlisle, do you think something could have happened to them? It is strange for them not to answer. I don't have any messages on my phone, how about you?" She enquired as she pondered the situation.

"They seemed excited about camping," I advised, in hopes of avoiding the panicking mom mode. "They would be running as we are, and likely none of them heard the phone. Knowing Emmett I can imagine there is also a challenge involved. Don't worry about them Esme, they'll hear your message and call you." Curiously, I flipped my phone open, and as before, there were no messages. "It is odd for them to have done that without giving us a call. I'm sure it will be fine honey, and if we don't hear from them by tomorrow morning I'll give Charlie Swan a call and ask him to check in on them for us."

From out of nowhere, a new sensation came to my backside causing me to turn quickly to my wife. She grinned to me impishly at the pinch, and offered by way of an explanation, "I am ready when you are."

With so many promises awaiting me in Alaska, why would I wish to delay? I smiled warmly to Esme and said, "let us be off."


	3. Fun with Ropes

**DISCLAIMER: Stephenie Meyer** **owns Twilight, **and all the characters**. **

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**Fun with Ropes**

_**Thursday, July 14, 2011**_

Despite the children being nowhere near, I began to fear they had found a way to interrupt our pleasure. We were on the second day of our trip, and Esme worried herself for hours over their not answering the phones. Fortunately, we had a lot of traveling to go from Alberta to Alaska, and we made that distance with hardly a word said to one another. I too worried for the children, but Esme seemed to become more distracted as the night went on. She was growing ever closer to a state of panic, and I feared for my wife. I would be displeased if my children's inconsiderate behavior threatened our vacation. Fortunately, we had satellite phones, which worked in this vast wilderness.

Esme checked her mobile several times along the way. I hate to admit that she began to annoy me with all the stops we made to look for messages. I kept my temper in check, as it really was not something either of us needed now. The most agreeable sound blared from Esme's phone, as Edward's ring tone brought a smile to my wife's lips. The blissful smile that crossed Esme's face brought peace to my mind. I leaned with my shoulder against a tree, as she fired off multiple questions to my son. I am not sure how he managed to get a word in.

She hung up the phone and turned to me with a dimpled smile. Knowing my wife as I do, I immediately moved to her side and encouraged her to sit with me while we embraced. She curled into my chest, and began to cry venom tears. I gently kissed the top of her hair, and stroked her back while she cried. I held her protectively, and hugged her in a comforting way while she explained to me every horrible and fearful thought that ran through her mind in the last few hours. My wife loves our family passionately, and I knew she would become emotional once the fear and anxiety left. She cried out her worry into my chest, as relief began to dominate her emotions. I spoke in low tones to her, and offered words of comfort, reassurance, and love.

When she pulled through, my wife looked up to me with an innocent expression, much like a child. Her golden eyes actually sparkled, a mental image I wished never to lose. We shared an affectionate kiss, and then she relayed everything to me about her conversation with Edward. "The children traveled with Jacob and his pack to New York. They chartered a plane, and had their phones off when we called.

Apparently, they rented three SUVs, and made their way to the campsite. I raised my brow at hearing that, but before I could ask she explained, "Jacob is driving the one for his pack, and our children took two others for themselves and their gear. Alice decided to pick up a new wardrobe for everyone, and I told him to let her know your need for more shirts and a few pants." She grinned impishly as she admitted, "that was more than enough information for him." I could imagine too well my son's reaction.

I chuckled lightly at my wife's words. Mentally I ran a few calculations through my head and mentioned, "It sounds like they had an expensive day, possibly a hundred thousand or more. I can only imagine how much Alice will spend shopping, and if Jacob is there we can expect our children to ham it up." I gave an exaggerated sigh as I continued, "Dare I even think of the luxury car dealerships in the area."

I pulled out my cell and punched in the number for my private wealth management representative. At this late hour, I did not expect to reach her, but I left a message with instructions for her to pay off the amount owing on the account used by the children. I also informed her of the family's whereabouts, and to expect a higher than normal spending pattern. I ended the message with my security id. I gave my wife an amused smile as I mentioned, "The last thing our children need is for a fraud prevention unit to place a hold on their cards."

My wife gave me a coy smirk as she added, "Carlisle, I know you better than you think. You are more concerned with them interrupting us when they run out of money." I grinned impishly to my wife, as she really knew me well. Her expression turned to one of sincerity as she admitted, "it worries me at times with how our children treat money. I know we have enough to spend, but is it wise to draw that type of attention? Carlisle, you are a loving and generous father, but you have never set limits on our children's spending. They are becoming much more extravagant, and I do not believe they even realize it. I understand our net worth is over thirty-four billion, and there is little reason for financial consideration."

I listened to her concerns, and wanted so desperately to speak of anything but the children now. This was our trip! I smiled warmly to my wife and enquired, "Let us not speak about this now, as I would like to enjoy our trip. When we arrive home, there will be plenty of time to deal with the situation later. The children are sensible, and I suspect they will make reasonable purchases. We'll see how it turns out, and then make changes if necessary."

Esme gave me a quick peck on my cheek and looked up to me affectionately as she accused, "you are a softy, Carlisle." She smiled warmly, and encouraged me to rise with her as she explained, "we need to keep going. I'll let you know when we've found the place." My curiosity once more heightened, as I silently envied Edward his gift. Maybe it was a bit smug of me, but I found it somewhat satisfying to know he too was unable to read his wife's mind. Esme and I once more resumed our travels over the frozen wilderness through the rest of the night and into the early morning.

An impish expression crossed the heart-shaped face of my caramel haired goddess, as she came to a sudden stop. Her dimpled smile assured me nothing was amiss, although I had known of no reason for us to halt our travels. My wife seemed mysterious, and she looked expectantly to me, as if waiting for me to realize something. Doubt filled my mind, as I took a greater interest in the area. Is this place somehow special for us? With this thought in mind, I desperately searched for any hint of a memory about the vicinity. Why is this so special? Nothing was coming to me, and yet my wife's smile grew a little wider. _Think Carlisle, what is it about this place?_

My wife wanted something specific, and it would seem she now found it. We stood at the lip of a canyon that appeared a hundred feet wide and about two hundred feet high. Mountains surrounded us, and a glacial river ran through the chasm below. I still could not recall why this place was important, and my wife seemed so eager. Not wishing to lie to my wife I enquired, "What are you thinking Esme?"

She gave me a wolfish look, and coyly mentioned, "I am thinking we are going to have a fantastic afternoon, Carlisle. This place is perfect for what I have in mind." She quickly began digging through the bags, and pulled out all the bungee cord she carried. Now I was curious, and dug through my pack to get out the length I had. We had to empty everything else from our packs, as the cord took up the entire space. We each carried close to three hundred feet.

Esme brought some items out of her pack that I had not seen earlier. She held mounting brackets for the rope, and spikes that she easily pounded through the stone. She took great care to make sure she heavily secured the rope, and estimated it would hold about four thousand pounds. She removed her clothing and put them into the waterproof pack. This situation became much more interesting as she instructed, "Carlisle, I'll meet you at the bottom of the chasm. Use this rope to climb down, and I'll join you once I secure the other one."

I quickly removed my clothing, and placed them into the pack as Esme had with hers. I waited until she finished with the rope on this side, and moved to pick up our gear. Esme's bag was heavier than my own, and curiously, I went to peek. She stopped me with a wag of her finger, and I realized then that there would be more to this surprise. Eagerly I grabbed what I could, and made my way down the side of the cliff.

The creek flowed swiftly, but came only to my stomach. The temperature was barely above freezing, but it was tolerable. I found a large boulder to place the packs on, and watched as my wife came down to join me. She took the end of the rope attached to the right side, and brought it to the base on the left cliff. With great care, she attached it to the wall using the same fasteners and mounting brackets as on top. She connected the rope from the upper left cliff to the base on the right side in such a way that it crossed the other bungee cord about midway up.

I gazed to my wife in appreciation as I observed what the cold water had done for her assets. She turned her back to me, and rooted through her pack. She brought out two custom-made sturdy leather harnesses. I followed her instructions, and slipped my left arm into a shoulder strap. It was thick, and had a clamp that would rest against the shoulder blade. I examined it curiously, and realized it would hold a lot of weight. We then fastened a thick belt at our waists, and smaller leather straps around our upper thighs. I guessed they helped to keep the belt in place. The belt had a similar clamp attached to a place at the back of the right hip.

Esme looked to me mischievously as she asked, "any idea of what I have in mind now Carlisle?" Her grin grew bigger, as she waited for my response. Whatever she had in mind caused her great excitement. I studied the two ropes that crossed one another with an approximate foot wide gap between the two preventing them from touching.

"We will hang from ropes," I stated curiously. Surely, I was missing something, as that did not sound overly appealing.

She laughed lightly and began to explain, "I was looking at a NASA website, and looked at the exercises astronauts must do to prepare for space. It got me thinking, and then I came up with this idea. We take out trees, break beds, and do a great deal of damage due to our strength. What if we did not have to worry about that and at the same time feel almost weightless? We each climb a rope, and clamp our harness to our individual cord at the waist and shoulder, with us facing one another. We have more control of our rope and movements due to the two-clamp system. They are a foot apart to allow room for us, without the ropes binding too tightly, or us moving too far from one another. With the amount of exertion we use, we will be flying through the air. We can go sideways, up, down, and it will be like we were weightless. The bungee cord prevents us from harm, and is thick enough to sustain the force we place on it."

"You are an amazing person, Esme," I said in awe to my wife. "If this works like you think it will, then we should consider the building of an addition to our home." I gave her a wolfish smile as my gaze lowered from her eyes and lingered on her other notable attributes. Cold water does such great things for a woman. Sadly, it was not nearly so nice with me. How is it fair that cold water makes women even more alluring at a time when a man wishes to go unnoticed? This water is practically ice. I attempted to shield my nether regions from view, and motioned for my wife to start climbing ahead. I hoped to return to normal before I reached her.

Esme giggled and gently pushed at my chest with her fingers as she said, "Carlisle, you don't need a medical license to know what happens to a man in icy water. Don't worry about it; I'll fix that for you shortly." She smiled to me with a promising look, and the two of us began to climb our designated ropes. We met near the middle where the two ropes crossed, and assisted one another with clamping the harnesses to our selected rope.

I gazed below and commented, "Imagine if you were innocently kayaking or rowing down this creek, and happened to glance up. Do you suppose the Gods of the Greeks and Romans were vampires?" I glanced to the bottom, and then pulled on my rope causing me to bounce due to the elasticity of the bungee cord. "This should prove interesting, and I can see why humans would have a difficult time with their limited strength."

My wife gazed into my eyes sympathetically while she drastically changed the topic of conversation, as if her thoughts were elsewhere. "I should have taken that into consideration, as you could have just as easily climbed down the rope. Next time we will not have to go near the water. That creek was really cold, and you were in it for a while." Once again, I discretely attempted to shield myself. She placed a comforting hand upon my shoulder as she mentioned, "Carlisle, I told you not to worry about that. I have averted my gaze from looking down there, as I know how upset you were. It is your lack of interest, or your attempt to divert my attention to other matters that has informed me of your current condition." With a wolfish grin she suggested, "I did offer to help you with that."

I smiled affectionately to Esme, and gently tucked a lock of caramel-coloured hair behind her left ear. She looked so beautiful; her golden eyes gazed into mine with a hint of desire. I brought my left hand to her face, and gently thumbed her dimple. I leaned toward her, and gently touched my forehead to her own. Passionately I whispered, "I love you." Fondly I stared to my wife, and my love for her swelled within me.

"Welcome back, Carlisle," Esme whispered tenderly with a dimpled smile enhancing the warmth of her words. She stared into me with a sense of longing, and wrapped her arms around me. Her eyes traveled to the rope mischievously, as if plotting her next actions. Her left hand moved to my right shoulder and a finger on her other hand lightly traced the muscles from my chest to my stomach. She smiled to me with a look of desire, as her finger began to circle my navel.

"Indeed," I mentioned coyly to her as I cupped her face between the palms of my hands. Any notion of doubt now long removed, as I gently guided her face to me and brushed our lips ever so softly. A passionate moan escaped from my lovely wife, and from deep within, I released a low rumbling growl. The animal inside me returned to life, as I gazed lovingly into the eyes of my beautiful wife. My hands moved of their own volition. It was she who I envisioned in the passionate fantasies that played within my mind. I desired her alone, and held her firmly as though feeling her closeness was dependant on the tightness of my embrace. This is my woman, my wife, and my love. I planted a kiss atop her head, as though claiming her as my own. I roared a challenge to any men who dared to look to my woman, as I hugged her possessively.

Esme purred seductively, and played into my fantasy as her hands began to roam across my back. Light enticing scratches electrified me, and drove me further into her passionate embrace. She growled possessively, as her inner animal claimed me as hers. I smiled proudly to my wife as I asserted her claim to me, with a ferocious roar of desire.

I grappled her with an animalistic frenzy, and the force of my movement caused our ropes to swing out wildly. We joined as one. We entered into a wild frenzy, causing the ropes to swing with our passions. We flew from side to side. Esme Pulled with great force to the rope above me, and suddenly I found myself flying upwards with her tightly in my embrace. Every passionate action made with such strength as to send us flying in a new direction. A loud growl rumbled in my chest in appreciation, as Esme and I completed our copulation.

Esme smiled warmly to me as her hand moved to my hair, and with pride in her eyes she admitted, "That worked better than I expected." She looked so pleased with herself, as a hand reached out to me and brushed golden strands from my forehead. Her eyes filled with love, and gazed to me as if nothing else in the world mattered. Indeed, she too was all I could think of at this moment. Her arms wrapped around me in a warm embrace, as she laid her head upon my shoulder.

My chin rested on her shoulder, while I breathed in deeply all that was Esme. I grasped her hair within the palm of my hand, and brushed it against my face. Another deep breath and her pheromones enhanced my desires and encouraged the animal within to retake possession of my actions. I growled with a ferocity that betrayed my innermost thoughts, and claimed my wife for a second time.

She nipped at my earlobe, and growled her acceptance of my challenge as we engaged once more. We tested the limitations of those ropes, as we flew in the directions of our forceful exertions. She screamed with the passions of her desire, and I growled loudly in anticipation. Esme panted unneeded breaths as she inhaled my pheromones and increased her own desire. Our inner natures gained control, and together we mated as wild animals.

She snuggled into my chest, as I held her protectively. Having thoroughly acted on our passions, we now bathed ourselves in the glow of our love for one another. I felt complete with Esme in my arms. I desired to hold her gently in my embrace, but the ropes proved to limit such tender affections. We helped one another with the clamps, and descended to the icy creek. I picked up our packs, and we climbed to the upper lip of the canyon. Clothing is seldom a high priority, but after that icy creek, I found myself dressing quickly. I am sure Esme found amusement.

We needed no words. Esme joined me as we relished in the comforting embraces of one another. We lay upon the moss-covered ground, and watched the sun set. Daylight remained, as we knew to expect the sun to rise again soon. I turned to my wife and mentioned, "I love you, Esme. You are the most precious woman in the world. I am proud to have you as my mate, and the mother of my children."

Esme kissed me gently on the cheek as she mentioned, "I am proud you are my husband, Carlisle. You are our patriarch, and the strength of our family." She smiled to me warmly, and then glanced at my watch as she mentioned, "I thought we would have heard from the children by now. I'll give Emmett a call, and see how they are."

I let out a deep sigh as I mentioned, "Esme, you are smothering the children. They are adults, and I am sure they will call us if something is wrong. Besides, Jake and his pack are there and it might embarrass them if we were checking up on them like children." I did not truly expect her to adhere to my advice, but I put it out there just the same.

Esme smiled to me as she giggled, "It's a mother's prerogative to embarrass her children with displays of affection. I will just be a moment Carlisle. I'll call Renesmee instead, as talking to her grandmother will not embarrass her." Esme punched in Renesmee's number, and waited a moment before our granddaughter picked up. They spoke for a few minutes about camping, and Esme gave her a shortened and innocent version of our day. Suddenly we lost her voice as someone loudly announced a home run, horns began to blare, and loud thunderous cheering erupted in the background as the phone went dead. I listened to their conversation with my vampire hearing, and did not expect the horn. Those things are painful, even over the phone. Esme turned to me, and laughed as I winced from the noise.

I gazed to her fondly as I mentioned, "It sounds like they are at a baseball game. Tickets are hard to get on such short notice. It is somewhat surprising to find them there, but I hope they are having a good time." I turned to my wife with a warm smile as I mentioned, "the children are fine, and there is nothing to worry about. They are thoroughly enjoying New York."

* * *

**_Meanwhile in Tuscany, Italy, a conversation occurs in the city of Volterra._**

Aro paced before another vampire as his finger lightly tapped at his chin in contemplation, "In Alaska you say, just the two of them?" He paused and studied the man before him. He chuckled lightly as he admitted, "that sounds like a most pleasant trip he and his mate have taken." He clasped his hands before him curiously and enquired, "You claim none from the Olympic Coven are near their place of residence? Indeed, that is very interesting. Are you quite sure they are alone?"

A vampire of many years looked up to Aro as he mentioned, "They are alone. I attempted to track their coven, but was unable to. The scents of Carlisle and his mate were weaker than his coven. They left at least a day apart from one another."

Aro nodded his head in understanding to the man and mentioned, "I appreciate your aid, and you have the thanks of the Volturi." He then turns to an advisor and sent off a message. Hours later, a reply came back. Aro rose and announced, "Send to me Jane, Alec, Demetri, and Felix." Aro seemed rather delighted, and had a slight bounce as he walked.

Upon seeing the summoned guard, he smiled warmly to them in greeting. "My friends, we have a task for you. It is of utmost importance that you follow my instructions carefully, as any mistakes will cause failure. You will receive information as needed. We have a seer we must bypass to complete this mission. You will have no instructions given in advance. I have a proposal to give to an old friend of mine, and I need you to deliver it for me." He hands Alec a thick envelope, as he mentions, "Do not open this, or any of the envelopes inside. Each envelope you open will contain another filled with envelopes, and two sets of instructions. One set is from me, and the other is from Caius. You will decide at that point which instructions to follow. Instructions on the face of the envelope show when to open them. The last envelop will have my message, and I need you to deliver it."

He paused for a moment until the guards indicated their understanding, "Your first destination is the Florence International Airport. You are to leave immediately."


	4. The Final Day

**DISCLAIMER: Stephenie Meyer** **owns Twilight, **and all the characters**. **

* * *

**The Final Day**

_**Friday, July 15, 2011**_

We needed to feed, and found ourselves leaving Esme's contraption of limitless pleasure for a few hours. With tremendous speed we ran in search of something quick, so we could regain the pleasures we have experienced with one another. My thoughts when not on my wife have been in gratification for not being human. I understand men are somewhat limited in their ability to engage in pleasurable activities, or at least for the several times Esme and I have done so. Not that I am bragging, no, actually, I am bragging.

Esme is more beautiful than words can describe, and were I a human it would be impossible to give her the attention she deserves. This is my take on the matter, at least from a medical perspective. Esme was my first, so I really have very little knowledge of what human men have limitation wise. In my time, it was normal for a man to stay a virgin, especially when your father was the preacher. I had never questioned it, and after I became a vampire, I still held to the virtues I learned in my youth. If we were truly damned beings, then even that would not be enough. However, I refuse to give up and allow the evil to take over. If I fight the evil, live a moral life, and aid others to the best of my abilities, then maybe I will find forgiveness from God for what I have become. This is the hope I base my life around.

Esme pulled me out of my reverie with a tug at my arm, I looked up in the direction she mentioned and noticed a herd of caribou. We studied the enormous gathering of reindeer, and watched them carefully as we decided on our targets. Esme motioned to an elderly female caribou that walked with a stiff gait, and I found an elderly male. We screeched loudly as we approached the herd, knowing the young and strong would flee and the sickly would lag behind.

To my surprise, the male kept up nicely with the herd. Esme pounced on the female she found, and began to feed. I on the other hand opted to change my intended target, and found a male in his prime who ran with a limp. The hind leg showed signs of a recent injury, and I had little doubt this creature would die of infection within the next few weeks. He became my target, and I easily overcame him. I ran up from behind, and brought myself in line with his head.

A human could have easily taken this creature down. I grabbed his antlers, and turned the creature's head down and in my direction. I continued to pull on the head, until it unbalanced the caribou and caused it to fall. I held it against the ground as my teeth bit into its neck and I began to drink. I brought a hand to my mouth as the reindeer's heart ceased to beat, and gently wiped at my lips to make sure I had no trace of blood. There is no excuse for messy eating, and I am proud to admit my children have learned these manners well.

I turned to see my wife running toward me, with her locks of caramel-coloured hair fluttering rapidly in the breeze. If only my heart could beat. I stared to her beauty as she enquired of my thirst, but I had another hunger I now wished to satiate. My hand reached out to tuck a lock of her hair behind her ear, and I breathed in deeply to inhale my wife's scent. I stared into her golden orbs lustfully as I mentioned, "make haste, we need to return swiftly to the canyon."

Esme turned a dimpled smile to me, as her fingers ran through my golden hair. "Carlisle, I love it when you allow your inner animal to roam so freely. We need to take trips like this more often." If I could sweat, there would be beads upon my forehead. My inner nature had a firm control of my emotions, and Esme knew it. She stood there teasing me. Women are truly evil creatures, but so temptingly beautiful. My finger reached out as I began to trace her feminine assets causing a light giggle from her. She did not move, though she could easily see the condition I now found myself in. I wanted her so badly, and embraced her tightly as I pressed my lips against hers with great force. She returned the gesture, and then she pulled away. "I agree, let's return to the canyon. Carlisle, rein in your inner beast, or we'll have to dunk you back in that creek."

My eyes widened at the playful threat. Oh gad, never that! I grinned to my wife and promised, "I will be fine." With that, we took off running, and I held my breath. If I am unable to inhale her pheromones, then I had a better chance of avoiding a dunk into those icy waters. The water was bearable, but it played havoc with my ego. Esme is correct to assume the value of a quick dunk in the creek, because if my inner beast had escaped I risked accidentally destroying my last pair of trousers. Sadly, I am sure there are many vampires out there who can relate to such situations. Enhanced strength mixed with an increased passion and a much more strongly felt libido add up to bad things for the flimsy cloth fixings we adorn ourselves with when they get in the way. It is fortunate for the entire family that Alice enjoys shopping, as we do go through many items of clothing.

We found ourselves back at the canyon, as Esme retrieved our harnesses. We stripped ourselves of clothing, and assembled the devices. I jumped over the canyon and began to climb down the rope, while Esme started on the one nearest us and we once more met in the middle and fastened one another to our ropes. We embraced and inhaled of each other deeply. The device Esme created allowed release of our inner animals without the need to restrain ourselves.

She smiled to me as my eyes darkened, and a low rumbling began in my chest. I nipped her lower lip, and claimed her as my own. I suckled on her lower lip, pulling it into my mouth while I tasted of my wife and her venom. I heard her growl, and pulled back as she then nipped my lower lip and drank of mine. She pushed hard at my chest causing me to fly back away from her, and then to rebound hard against her. She growled seductively at the impact, and ran her nail against my chest. She scraped it, causing a sensation in me to stir as I reached out to my wife with exploration in mind.

My urge for her became desperate, and we soon engaged in the act we both desired most. I felt the crush of the canyon wall against my back, as my wife's actions caused us to fly into it. I matched her exertions, and we applied the most force we have ever used in such engagements. The feeling was explosively erotic, and our growls became lost to us as we concentrated fully on our activities. Nothing slowed us down, not even when we flew into the creek and screamed upwards into the sky with icy water dripping from our hair and bodies. This time the water had no effect on me. Esme screamed out her pleasure moments before I howled loudly my own.

We held each other firmly while waiting for the bungee cords to settle. cheerily I turned to my wife and enquired, "Another?" She nodded enthusiastically and we continued. Vampires never tire, but once we were thoroughly satiated, we climbed the ropes. We put the harnesses away, and dressed once more. I lay upon the ground with my wife, as we enjoyed the close company of one another. We stayed this way for many hours. We remained speechless as we enjoyed the love of the other, and just bathed in our aura of splendor. In a few hours the sun will set, and we readied ourselves for another relaxing night of togetherness.

Without warning, we heard the approach of another in the distance. The sound came from the South; in the direction, we had traveled ourselves. My wife and I stood, as we assumed our friends from the Denali coven had picked up our scent and came out to visit. I helped my wife remove some grass from her hair, and she assisted in dusting off the back of my pants. I too helped her, as we made ourselves presentable to the best of our abilities.

Four people came near, and we immediately recognized their attire. Guards from the Volturi approached us, one wearing a grey cape while the others had much darker ones. I wrapped my arms around Esme defensively, as there was little else we could do. Many thoughts filtered through my mind about why they would seek me out, and I feared the worst. Demetri ran ahead, and then we recognized the smaller forms of Alec and Jane. Fear embraced me. Felix was the last we saw, and I realized the Volturi chose now to seek their revenge for our having fended them off. We knew they would attempt something, but I had hoped for advanced warning. My death would weaken the Olympic coven. Aro desperately wanted Alice, Edward, Bella, and Renesmee to join the Volturi, and my destruction would bring him closer to his goal.

Curiously, I wondered why Alice had not called, and then I noticed my cell. Someone had phoned after our hunt, but I had no time now to check on the message. I stepped before my wife and commanded, "Remain behind me." Esme nodded slowly, as we watched in silence for the guard's arrival. It only took moments. I respectfully nodded my head to them in greeting, as did my wife.

Demetri stopped before us, and folded his arms to his chest as he stared down to me. I lowered my eyes in submission to his authority. Felix moved to stand by Demetri, and once more, we greeted one another with my having to show submission, this time to the entire guard. Whatever this would entail, our cooperation was essential for our survival. Jane and Alec remained behind Felix and Demetri, but feathered out to the sides so they had a full view of us. Jane stood to the left, and Alec to the right of their guards. Jane sneered as she gave me a smug look of satisfaction.

Alec spoke, as he held a thick envelope before him. He read what it said, "Open upon Carlisle's submission to your authority." A glance to Demetri as he mentioned, "it seems right," and with that he opened the envelope. Inside was another packet, and two pieces of paper about the size of an index card. He glanced to the first and mentioned, "Hmm, now this is very interesting. The orders given vary considerably." He raised his eyes to me and explained, "Carlisle, it would seem that you have greatly angered Caius, while Aro is much more forgiving."

I felt Esme's fingers fearfully dig into my hips, and noticed Jane's look of approval as her brother spoke. I felt confused, as surely Alice should have seen this coming. Why did a warning not arrive any earlier? I wished to stay silent, but my curiosity over his words compelled me to ask, "Two sets of orders?" Jane gave me a look of victory, in answer to my question.

Alec explained, "Yes, I have two sets of orders. It is I who will decide which one to follow, as this ensures minimal delay between the decision made and the action carried out." He needed not explain more, as I now realized how they avoided Alice's earlier detection.

"I see, how very wise," I stated with a sense of awe at Aro's cleverness. That man seldom failed to amaze me. Some have wondered at his sanity, but his mind has always been very sharp. He along with Caius and Marcus rule the Volturi and the rest of the vampire world as they are akin to our royalty. The ever-cheerful Aro was once a dear friend of mine, but after Renesmee's incident, I make that claim no longer.

He rose up against my coven with murderous intent, and we faced him along with our allies. The Volturi fled. The Olympic coven faced the entire force of the Volturi, and now there is much uncertainty in the vampire world. Renegades and dissidents who knew nothing of the battle began to spread the word of weakness, and rumors run rampant about plans to rise against them. The Volturi have their faults, but they have kept our race safe.

Alec held up the first card and mentioned, "Caius feels we should treat Carlisle with a bit of Jane's warmth." He glanced to his sister and noted her eagerness, as did we all. He held up the second card and informed us, "Hmm, this is a most unusual order. I will go with what Aro has suggested."

Jane snorted loudly enough for us all to hear, but we felt relief. Caius is the cruel one, and I hoped Aro's orders were less appalling. Jane seethed to her brother, "I knew Aro should have given those envelopes to me." It pleased me to know that Alec made the decisions. It was not much, but at least it gave some hope.

Alec offered his sister a sympathetic look as he read off Aro's instructions, "Remove your clothing, and kneel before us. Keep a space of no less than five feet between you." Jane sneered as she heard the orders, and looked to Alec accusingly as if he had gone soft. "You will remove them yourselves, or I will have Felix do so for you." The boy looked so innocent and very childlike as he and his twin became vampires at the young age of twelve, or maybe thirteen. Jane might not have understood why he chose that order, but I most certainly remember what drove my decisions at the age of thirteen. My wife is beautiful.

Aro had lost his mind if he thought I would willingly have my mate exposed! Willing or otherwise, we had no choice but to do as instructed. I wished to protect my mate, but that would only endanger her to Jane's burning wrath. Therefore, he wanted to humiliate me, and to gain my submission. Felix took a step toward us; as if intending to rip the clothes from our backs should, we refuse. I growled angrily at the hopelessness I now found myself in. I instructed my wife to make haste, and obediently we removed our clothing and kneeled as commanded.

Alec never once removed his eyes from my wife as she undressed, and even now allowed his gaze to linger upon her. I fought my rage; I desperately tried to keep it in check, as Alec now diverted his attention to the envelope held in his hand. He opened it to show two more instructions, and read them silently. He gave a nod to Felix and Demetri who approached and then restrained me. "Affect Carlisle now, and then have Jane burn Esme," he read off, "or let Jane go ahead, and then expose Carlisle to my gift." Jane glared daggers into him, as if daring him to go soft once more. In answer, Alec began to call upon his mist, and it overtook me. Oddly, though, nothing had yet happened. The mist surrounded me, but I felt no change. This was obviously his plan, as he controlled which senses if any, and who in the mist to affect with it. I glanced to my wife and noticed no mist around her. Alec gave his sister a nod as he informed us, "This time I go with Caius's recommendation." He paused and then commanded, "Jane, use your gift on Esme."

My wife screamed in agony as she fell to the ground and began to wreathe. I screeched desperately, wanting to protect her, and nearly broke my restraints when suddenly all feeling vanished. He graced me with the ability to hear, but I could no longer see, smell, or taste anything if I tried. I was completely paralyzed to do anything, and unable to move while I heard my wife shriek desperately. Esme felt her skin catch flame, and begin to melt as she burned under the wrath of Jane. I listened with a sense of dread while my wife screamed out her agony.

Alec removed his mist from me, and now I could clearly once more see Esme's anguish. In a futile effort, I fought my restraints, but the guards held me firmly. I cried out for my wife in desperation and horror, and then I heard Alec instruct his sister, "Jane, that is enough." My eyes shone cobalt to the guards, as they released me and I ran to my wife's side. I kneeled before her, and pulled her into a protective embrace as she turned her head into my chest and sobbed piteously.

Alec watched my reaction and warned, "I suggest you do nothing foolish, Carlisle, for both your sakes." At this point, I no longer cared what he had to say, but I forced myself to cooperate despite what my internal protective nature wished to do. "We need to consult for a few minutes. You two may dress, but do not leave this place. We will return shortly." With that, the four guards took off with the likely intention of removing themselves from our hearing range.

I cupped Esme's lower face with the palms of my hands, and brought her to me for a very gentle kiss on her lips. "Esme, I love you with all of my heart," I said as I held her tightly, as this could be the last time we ever exchanged such sentiments. Is this the end?

Esme returned my kiss with an affectionate one of her own, and said through her tears, "I have always loved you Carlisle, and in you I have known true love. I have never once regretted the decisions we made to come together, or to form a family. I could have hoped for no better life than to have spent it with you."

Venom tears now came to my eyes as well, as I embraced my wife lovingly. I retrieved her clothing, and assisted her in putting it on. Her recent exposure to Jane's wrath caused her hands to shake nervously while she tried to dress. I buttoned her top, and once her pants were in place, I helped her with the shoes. Ever so gently, I slipped them on, and tied them for her. I then went to my own clothes, and hurriedly dressed. I pulled out the cell phone and quickly returned Alice's call.

She had been shopping when the premonition came, and notified the family. It shocked her to hear that they had already dealt with us, and I assured her there was nothing the family could do. I told her how they avoided her gift. I mentioned that I would call later to fill her in on the details, and reminded her I needed new pants. If nothing else, at least shopping might take her mind away from the vision she was powerless to prevent.

The guards returned, and found me sitting on the ground with my wife curled into my lap. My arms embraced her protectively, as she cried into my shoulder. They returned to their earlier formation, and Demetri stepped forward to speak for the Volturi. "Aro sent us to deliver to you a proposition." I nodded my head for the man to go on, as I now realized death was not the last outcome of today's meeting.

He opened the envelope and began to read, "My Dear friend Carlisle. Our earlier misunderstanding has resulted in an increase of hostilities and the rumors of such against the Volturi. I imagine you have heard them yourself. I wished to discuss such matters with you personally; however, that was not the case. I hope you forgive me this demonstration, as I needed you to understand the position in which you are in. You control a strong coven. We each have our vulnerabilities, and any confrontation between us will result in death to those we are closest. I hope you agree that such things are not in our mutual best interest."

Demetri paused a moment, to allow Aro's words to sink in. I nodded my head in understanding as the guard continued, "You must make a choice. I know your coven has not sided with any of the rebellious vampires, and so it is my hope that we can come to a mutually beneficial understanding. Will you stay neutral, or is it your wish to rise against us? I propose to you a truce while we eradicate the new threat who opposes our way of life. We do not ask you to turn against those who allied with your coven. You know well the recent surge of activity in our world of which I speak, and the many newborns now created. The situation necessitates that we work together. I extend to you this truce out of the friendship we once held, and I hope to see again." Demetri folded the paper, and placed it into his pocket. He pulled out another and handed it to me.

On it was a phone number, and with a nod from Demetri, I knew Aro expected my call. Aro answered immediately, and enquired of me, "Does the Volturi have your loyalties, Carlisle?"

At this moment, I wanted to tear the man's head off and throw it into the fire, but reason required me to respond calmly, "Yes, the Olympic coven will not oppose just actions taken by the Volturi, against rebel covens who rise up against you." Once I uttered this statement, the four members of the guard turned and headed back the way they came. I would not miss their presence.

Aro replied, "I have a task for you. You can imagine I have stretched our guard tightly, and word has come to us of a renegade group of vampires threatening our way of life. They have drawn much attention to themselves, and this needs immediate rectification before they expose us all. It is the desire of Caius to destroy the entire coven. Instead, I have assured him that the Olympic coven has the strength and ability to manage this situation, and to trust that you will personally see to it that these renegades are appropriately dealt with. I leave the choice for you to make, as you may destroy them or find some way to gain control of the situation. Carlisle, we know you are a pacifist and your ways are different from our own. I do not fully understand that, but I have grown to respect you. I extend to you my hand in friendship, and ask for you to accept this task."

First comes the truce, and now he wishes to send me on a mission similar to those I managed for him in the past. I did not know what he was getting at, or if this was a test. Either way, I realized the only reasonable choice was to agree. I responded to his question, "Yes, I accept the task."

Aro replied cheerfully as he said, "I e-mailed the information you need, and I suggest that you quickly take care of the situation. My friend, I bid you well."

There was a large attachment with the e-mail, so I gave Alice a quick call while we waited to let her know that things were well. She was relieved. I then handed the phone to Esme at Alice's insistence, and the two chatted for some time. Esme's version of the events contained much more emotion. When she ended the call she turned to me and mentioned, "Alice said the family decided to watch movies in their suite tonight, as Renesmee and the wolves were already sleeping. Alice had our children worried, and they were all relieved to hear we are fine. They offered to come home, but I mentioned they may as well stay and enjoy themselves. It sounds like the children are having a fantastic time in New York."

I nodded my head in appreciation, and waited for the file to finish downloading to my phone. While waiting I explained in detail what it was that Aro requested of us. Our confusion was obvious, and we turned to the phone as the file finally completed. There was a video, and a text file to go along with it.

Esme and I watched curiously, as I played the video on my cellular phone, and in it, we saw a newscast outside Yankee Stadium. The guards and police quickly ended a scuffle before much could happen, but then the camera zoomed in on the participants. The vampires in the video were our children. Esme and I gasped in horror as we watched the events unfold before the cameras, and the result as the media became enamoured with the beauty of the large group of people who traveled together. The media wanted to learn more about the glamorous twelve.

Experience taught me the immense value of the gift Aro provided with his leniency. His offer of friendship was much more than that, as he gave my coven and I a second chance at life. We left the device Esme created, grabbed whatever we could, and ran rapidly to the nearest airport. We chartered a plane to New York. Thus ended our Alaskan Vacation.

* * *

**A/N:** The story concludes in Chapter 5 of 'Camping with Vamps and Wolves.' That chapter discusses the mess the children created, and speaks of spankings.


End file.
